LIVE Thanksgiving Review Nieuw Statendam Rome -> FLL My First Transatlantic Nov 26 - Dec 10 🦃

[Haljo1935]

7 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

We had the same menu in October on the Rotterdam TA. We thought it was really good and a nice improvement from the pre covid menu.

We enjoyed it.

[Haljo1935]

Fingers crossed 🤞 this plays.

 Unfortunately, a couple sections are not working properly. "In the old days," we'd say they blew a fuse, lol, don't know how we refer to it today. Heck, a couple cords may have come unplugged.🤔 Anyway, in each section, there is a string of lights not working and the trains are no longer circling around the tracks. But the ferris wheel, merry go round and swings are still going.

I'll check back to get pictures when the other pieces are functional. It's still a very nice display. 

[Haljo1935]

Hey @POA1 here's the Minty Elf Martini as made by the fine folks at the Ocean Bar.

Cabinmate much preferred this one to the one made at the Lido Bar. 😏She said she would have preferred just a touch less peppermint and a squidge more Creme de Cocoa, but managedto drink it all. Of note (and major point deductions) is the one from the Lido Bar did not have the chocolate rim. Cabinmate also reported the peppermint was noticeably absent, for which the bartender incurred additional point deduction. Apologies, no picture of the lesser enjoyed Lido Bar drink.🫣

[Huskerchick]

4 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hey @POA1 here's the Minty Elf Martini as made by the fine folks at the Ocean Bar.

Cabinmate much preferred this one to the one made at the Lido Bar. 😏She said she would have preferred just a touch less peppermint and a squidge more Creme de Cocoa, but managedto drink it all. Of note (and major point deductions) is the one from the Lido Bar did not have the chocolate rim. Cabinmate also reported the peppermint was noticeably absent, for which the bartender incurred additional point deduction. Apologies, no picture of the lesser enjoyed Lido Bar drink.🫣

Thanks for taking one for the team. A few years ago when we did a Christmas cruise we found that some of the bars did a better job then others with the holiday drinks.  Looks like the Ocean Bar will be my go to

[POA1]

Thanks for the trying the drink. We found that certain drinks were better in certain venues as well.

[Haljo1935]

Today's Daily 

[Haljo1935]

Yesterday's daily breakfast specials;

we got the crepes.

Also had a small omelet w/ham, cheese and black olives.

And cappuccino. 

[newtocruiseinblue]

Really enjoying this thread! It sounds like you are enjoying the sea says…I was wondering about that as we might like to do a TA someday.

 

also I was wondering if you had found any cool spots to just sit and chill out and enjoy the view around the ship. 

 

Thank you!

[POA1]

Daily Breakfast Specials?? I did not even know there was such a thing. I can barely contain my excitement! (In case I did not mention it, I am easily amused.)

[Haljo1935]

3 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Daily Breakfast Specials?? I did not even know there was such a thing. I can barely contain my excitement! (In case I did not mention it, I am easily amused.)

I know, right? I had not seen them before, either, then one day - boom - there was a little box in the bottom portion of the left page. Who knew? Not me! It's almost too much excitement so early in the day.😏 Now we have another reason to eat breakfast in MDR.🤭

Edited December 7, 2023 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[FLCruiser97]

The ship is looking so festive. Thanks for the photos.

[POA1]

21 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Now we have another reason to eat breakfast in MDR.🤭

I wonder if the breakfast specials are MDR only, or if you can get them in the Club Orange dining room?

[Haljo1935]

45 minutes ago, POA1 said:

I wonder if the breakfast specials are MDR only, or if you can get them in the Club Orange dining room?

TV menu does not list them for either MDR or CO. Nav App MDR menu does not list them; there is no breakfast menu posted for CO.7bbda79ce12e48b209b93c8bbcedd5bc_mdr_breakfast_menu_winter_2023_en_-_v2 (1).pdf

We ate breakfast once & dinner twice in CO and haven't returned because it's a frickin meat locker in there.🥶 Seriously, it's so cold it's distracting and impacts our dining experience. One time our table was by the window wall; the other 2 times it was right in the middle by the pole - neither location was better.

We'll stop by tomorrow before going to MDR and see if the breakfast menu has the specials - report to follow. 

[cbr663]

The infamous down market low quality discount food chain processed hash brown.  ( any doubt on how I feel about them 🤣 ).  Every morning in CO DW and I would build our own order from various items on the menu and never would we ask for the dreaded "triangle" and yet, every day there it was.  And every day we left it on the plate.

 

Does anyone equate these things with fine dining?

[Haljo1935]

1 minute ago, cbr663 said:

The infamous down market low quality discount food chain processed hash brown.  ( any doubt on how I feel about them 🤣 ).  Every morning in CO DW and I would build our own order from various items on the menu and never would we ask for the dreaded "triangle" and yet, every day there it was.  And every day we left it on the plate.

 

Does anyone equate these things with fine dining?

I am fully in your camp!! Love a good, crispy yet fluffy skillet fried hashbrown, which in no way resembles what HAL (Carnival & Princess, too btw) serves. Baffles me that talented chefs w/years of training can create so many creative, wonderful dishes yet somehow cannot manage to shred a potato & onion and toss in a skillet with oil 🙄

[cruisemom42]

I don’t like the hash browns either but ships seem to lack the necessary manpower to prepare them from scratch on larger ships.

[cbr663]

34 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

I am fully in your camp!! Love a good, crispy yet fluffy skillet fried hashbrown, which in no way resembles what HAL (Carnival & Princess, too btw) serves. Baffles me that talented chefs w/years of training can create so many creative, wonderful dishes yet somehow cannot manage to shred a potato & onion and toss in a skillet with oil 🙄

 

They don't need to do that much work.  After our Alaska cruise in May we spent a few days in Whistler at The Four Seasons.  Here was our breakfast from The Tavern.

 

Last month we stayed at The US Grant and had breakfast in The Grant Grill.  They had roasted baby potatoes that we cut in half and then sautéed with herb butter.  Easy and simple, but of course, have to be done per order which is impossible for the entire ship, but surely possible in CO.

[Naismith]

Does the 3 pm 50% off Happy Hour in Billboard include soft drinks?  

 

 

[Hooked!]

Thank you for all of your posts and pictures! Enjoy this last day of your cruise. 

[Haljo1935]

8 minutes ago, Hooked! said:

Thank you for all of your posts and pictures! Enjoy this last day of your cruise. 

Thanks for joining along on the ride. Today's itinerary has more than I can possibly do, especially since packing must be squeezed in.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Haljo1935]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:33 PM, Naismith said:

Does the 3 pm 50% off Happy Hour in Billboard include soft drinks?  

 

 

I will ask.

[BetsyS.]

I have enjoyed all your updates and pictures! Thanks for taking the  time to do this on your vacation.  I'm impressed with HAL's decorations - very festive!  Have a great day. 😊

[Haljo1935]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:36 AM, newtocruiseinblue said:

Really enjoying this thread! It sounds like you are enjoying the sea says…I was wondering about that as we might like to do a TA someday.

 

also I was wondering if you had found any cool spots to just sit and chill out and enjoy the view around the ship. 

 

Thank you!

The best spot has been up on 10 aft near Tamarind. There's a space similar to The Retreat w/sofas & chairs, but no charge (and no service); never anyone out there.

This is from the inside; it was too windy to get a picture from outside.

[Iamthesea]

When we were on the N. Statendam last May, that area was closed off to crew members, only.  The only time I saw it opened was for the sailing through the Fjords.

[FLCruiser97]

@Haljo1935, Soooo, how do you like Sea days now? Not so bad, right!

Thanks for taking us along on your adventure. I look forward to your next cruise journey.